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Recently, there have been allegations of financial impropriety levelled against the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa. In this interview with KEHINDE OLATUNJI, the Speaker said the allegations were meant to detract from the good works that the Assembly is known for.
Allegations have been levelled against you and your office as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, could you please lead us into what really transpired?
It is harrowing and astonishing how the allegations came about. From the blues; all of a sudden. Too sequential and orchestrated to be natural. Because we strove to instil discipline as ordained by the business rules and standing orders of the House of Assembly, as well as the Constitution. Perpetrators of indiscipline and impunity are calling for my head and the total collapse of an institution, which is our common heritage, and the collective pride of Lagos. The allegations are designed, fabricated and orchestrated to embarrass or distract me, but leadership is run by the courage and not sentiments. So, I remain focused and undaunted.
Again, corruption is a hydra-headed monster; very difficult to fight because it fights back; most times with blind fury attempting to crush or destroy anyone or anything in sight, but the truth is the only constant thing. Some people, through active connivance and abuse of power have committed humongous heist on the state’s natural resources with such effrontery and a false sense of entitlement and I’m determined to stop this larceny at all costs, even at the risk of my own life and comfort. Their recklessness and guts are out of this world and this certainly cannot continue. Work has already begun to checkmate some aspects of their pilfering and leakages and definitely they’re taken aback and have vowed to resist the order. However, we are on top of the situation and as we progress in our investigations, we shall release our phased reports and recommendations.
The House does not incur any expenditure except those planned, budgeted for and contracted or authorized in accordance with all due processes prescribed by the procurement law and regulations.
The allegations are baseless, spurious, vexatious and calculated to impugn the sanctity of my person and office.
Some documents were obtained, doctored and tailored in such a way as to suit the ignoble purpose and vendetta mission of the users. For someone to say invitation cards were printed with N250 million for an event the whole of which costs about N61million is hallucinating and can only exist in the figment of the accuser’s imagination.
He who asserts must prove. Let them supply the name of the company with equities of my son and the details of any transaction such a company has had with the Lagos State House of Assembly. This allegation is not only unfounded, it is a calculated and orchestrated mischief. Maybe my accusers wish they occupy my type of office and make their entire families contractors and businessmen profit from unmerited patronage.
Did you use a company known as De Kingrun Multipurpose Nigeria Limited to secure for your self, contracts from the State Assembly and ministries?
This is utter falsehood. The company being talked about pre-dates my emergence as Speaker and I say without fear of contradiction that the company does no business with the Lagos State House of Assembly under my leadership.
It was alleged that you gave thugs N50m to burn down an online media house
How would such a hefty sum come about? Would the thugs burn the whole country? Because I suppose if the arsonists purchase 50-litre gasoline at about N5, 000 and some matchsticks, they’ll wreak havoc. In any case, it’s up to my traducers who know how much they pay for such hatchet and sinister jobs and who must have partaken of the offensive deal to bring their own share of the illegal slush funds to the table in support of the spurious and unscrupulous allegation. Does that itinerant outfit have any base that could be burnt?
In any case, I belong to the Progressive persuasion of politics and it is contrary to our tenets to destroy the efforts of small and medium scale enterprises. As a matter of fact, we work tirelessly to reenact the glorious era of the middle class in Nigeria. With all sense of modesty, I’ve been a lawmaker for 21 years now and it would be antithetical and uncharitable of anyone to imagine I can get to that level. The allegation is simply ludicrous.
Perhaps, my accusers should ask themselves how my aides who are employed on the basis of specialization run their respective offices. My personal staff are part of the running of my office, home and guesthouse because they are personal or domestic to me.
Since you say the allegations are false, how do you intend to clear your name and give the Assembly a clean bill having in mind the damage it could have on the integrity of the legislature?
Audi alteram partem (Hear the other party) is a fundamental and golden rule of natural justice. When a press organisation that should know better indulges itself in perpetrating rumours, lies and half-truths, it should be ready for the consequences of its acts. He who sows rumours reaps whirlwind. Every freedom granted by Chapter 4 of the Constitution is qualified. No right is absolute without a corresponding duty. To whom much is given, much is expected. Any responsible writer owes his readership or audience a duty of truth.
My Lawyer has already written them with firm instructions to proceed to the court of law.
Some of your supporters insinuate that a minority in the House could be responsible for the leaks. Why so?
Well, maybe you should ask them. Leadership is responsibility. Leadership is a sacrifice. If there’s any member who relishes disparaging his colleagues in the House, I won’t wish to make any comment on that for now because I’m the one being accused. I cannot be a judge in my own cause. Nemo judex in sua causa. If I were not directly involved, the House is guided by the Legislative Privileges Act and our business rules and standing orders in this manner of matters. But as I said, the House itself through its appropriate organs might have to review that situation itself.
They also allege that a former member, now Senator is behind the leaks. True?
It is not actually who is saying what that matters but the veracity or authenticity of what is being said. Not the messenger that matters but the message. The container may be bad but the content is all that matters. Whoever is behind this, even if highly placed as you suspect, is doing a great disservice to himself and co-travellers to the land of destruction because if money is lost, something is lost, but if integrity is lost, everything is lost. Their misdeeds of today will be their albatross tomorrow
Some even allege the face-off could be linked to 2023 and positioning for the next election. Could that be true?
Human beings contrive, manipulate, maneuver and meander, leaving out God who has the sole control of life and death. What you said is not impossible. In fact, it has been said to me severally. Many charlatans and opportunists masquerade as politicians, including the one who participated in an election, lost woefully only to turn around and declared an ineffectual but unsportsmanlike revolution. Those are the people who want to gain access to political power through the backdoor and without working for it. To gain political control you must be ready to engage the people who are the sovereign and seek their consent.
More importantly, I belong to a political persuasion where there’s order. What the Leadership decides is what I do and I don’t go out of line to pursue inordinate or unsupported ambitions.
